Guðjón Þórðarson: A manager of the ages – Part Three

Gudjon knew the task ahead would prove difficult but he relished the challenge. However, Gudjon had turned IA Akranes into such a solid team that they seemed invincible yet again and KR Reykjavik would end up with a disappointing league season yet again.

IA winning the title for the third straight year came as no real surprise to anyone, with Gudjon having rebuilt the team to such heights that it seemed to good to lose.

Gudjon is re-appointed as Akranes boss

Beating Grindavik 2-0, Gudjon had done it again and likewise had no qualms with their fete, with the club claiming their first major trophy for 26 years.

Their supporters hailed Gudjon as a hero. Many supporters had not liked the fact that he had joined them from their fiercest rivals but after winning the cup everything was forgiven and forgotten.

Gudjon spent the pre-season of 1995 carefully strengthening priority areas of his side.

Acquiring the league’s two most strikers in the skilful Gudmundur Benediktsson and stocky Serb Mihajlo Bibercic from IA Akranes.

With both proving deadly additions to the side, KR pushed forward with strength but could still not budge IA Akranes from the top spot, with Þórðarson’s old Akranes side retaining the title yet again, leaving Guðjón’s current crop in second.

Gudjon was disappointed, sure. He could take heart, however, from the fact that KR Reykjavik retained the Cup by beating Fram 2-1 in the Cup final.

The club took part in the Cup Winners Cup in Europe and after beating Luxembourg side, Gravenmacher 4-3 on aggregate. Reykjavik were then to handed a glamorous tie with English Premiership side, Everton – then managed by Joe Royle.

Gudjon in deep thought

Twice Everton took the lead and twice KR Reykjavik equalised. The game was settled in the 88th minute when a powerful volley was struck past the Reykjavik keeper. 3-2 the final score; but KR Reykjavik had proved a stern test for Everton.

The second leg was a strange affair. KR Reykjavik took the lead in the first half through Einar Thor Danielsson and should have gone in at half-time with a 2-0 lead but Neville Southall made a superb save to deny the Reykjavik forward from doubling the advantage.

This report from an Everton fanzine shows the nerves were starting to kick in at Goodison: "Just before half time we were lucky not to be two behind. The ball bobbled up and one of their forwards hit a delightful volley that Nev’ did very well to save.

"At half time things weren't looking good. Our team of players earning 5000 pounds a week were getting beaten by a team that gets paid a packet of crisps and their bus fare home."

In the second half the Reykjavik players tired and Everton completely steam-rolled them, scoring three goals in the process. The final scored was 3-1, 6-3 to Everton on aggregate but the KR Reykjavik players had done everything they could but that just wasn’t good enough... Joe Royle commented after the game: Reykjavik were a credit to football and their country.

Despite winning the cup and enjoying a good European tie with Everton, Gudjon felt things weren’t going according to plan at KR Reykjavik and left the club to re-join his beloved IA Akranes.

He was greeted back as the long lost son, he was Akranes’ most famous son and of course the best manager in Iceland.

Akranes had enjoyed a great spell by winning the title for four consecutive seasons. The Akranes chairman said: Gudjon laid the foundations, he has come back to finish the job he started.

The 1996 season is regarded as the greatest and the most exiting season ever in Icelandic football, as the Icelandic Premiership saw a tantalising two-horse race for the title between IA Akranes – managed once again by Guðjón – and the club he left as cup winners, KR Reykjavik.

The battle between the teams proved fierce throughout the season and it would all come down to the final game of the season, as the sides would meet in Akranes.

And, more recently, facing his latest challenge...

The title decider proved a one-sided affair, however, as IA completely overran Reykjavik and won the clash 4-1.

Gudjon had won the title again with IA Akranes after two years away from the club. And he was a happy man. Akranes also claimed the Icelandic cup by beating IBV 2-1 in the cup final, claming the league and cup double once more.

The team played in the preliminary rounds for the Champions League and after beating Macedonian side FK Sileks 3-0 on aggregate Akranes eventually got knocked out by the strong Russian side CSKA Moskva 6-1 on aggregate.

Gudjon was not given the chance to finish the job he started in 1991 as due to difficult circumstances he was let go IA Akranes.

"This is the hardest decision I’ve had to make in my life, said the regretful Akranes chairman when the decision was made public.

Gudjon took a year out of the game, until he was appointed the manager of Iceland in 1998 where he brought the Icelandic people together through guts and passion. Long live the King.